Groups C and D feature on day 3 of Euro 2024, including two teams considered potential champions, England and The Netherlands. Our panelists offer predictions for all three matches on Sunday.
Poland vs Netherlands (Sunday in Hamburg)
Steen Kirby: Not everyone is sold on Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands team, and missing Frenkie De Jong and Teun Koopmeiners to injury is a double blow heading into the tournament, however, this still feels like a threatening side, the young Xavi Simons and Memphis Depay can provide goals, while having veteran rock Virgil Van Dijik and a rich group of options in defense, including the ageless Daley Blind make up a side that could win it all, if they can figure out the new midfield with the lesser known Joey Veerman and Jerdy Schouten. The team in Orange will be favorites in their first match, Poland have been a credible international team for years, but they lack world class players with Robert Lewandowski no longer in the side due to injury for this game. I don’t see where the goals will come from for Poland, while the Dutch know how to score. Koeman should keep his side focused. Prediction: Netherlands 3 Poland 0
Luka Foley: Poland and Netherlands face off in their second games of Group D with this being the first time they have played against one another in a European Championship proper, having only previously battled in qualifying for the tournament. Many will see this as a straight-up Netherlands win given their tournament pedigree, but Poland did demonstrate in their Euro qualification play-off match against Wales back in March that they are by no means a push-over. Lewandowski has the ability to score a goal out of nothing so don’t be surprised to see him bag, however, the overwhelming feeling is that the Dutch will get it done. Prediction: Netherlands 3 Poland 0
Ben Gray: Sunday’s early kick off sees Group D get underway and, with Austria and France completing the quartet, both will feel victory is vitally important. Netherlands’ famously visited Hamburg during Euro ’88, beating hosts West Germany in the semi-finals en route to glory, and we’re forecasting that the Oranje will enjoy their return to the city. Ronald Koeman’s side come into this tournament following back-to-back 4-0 friendly wins, smashing Canada and then Iceland at De Kuip, while Holland boast so much talent, particularly in defence.
Captain Virgil van Dijk will make his long-awaited Euros debut, while Matthijs de Ligt, Nathan Aké and Micky van de Ven complete a decent set of centre-backs, so we can see the Oranje claiming a seventh clean sheet in just eight outings. Poland meantime have crashed out in the group stages at three of the last four Euros, including three summers ago, a fate that is likely to be bestowed upon the Eagles once again.
Their entire game-plan revolves around Robert Lewandowski, which isn’t ideal considering the captain hobbled off during Monday’s win over Türkiye in Warsaw, so will sit out this opener. Without him, we can’t see how Poland are going to score, hence why a comfortable Dutch victory seems likely at Volksparkstadion. Prediction: Netherlands 2 Poland 0
Slovenia vs Denmark (Sunday in Stuttgart)
Steen: RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and recognized international goalkeeper Jan Oblak from Atletico Madrid lead the team from the mountains, Slovenia take on the dark horse of many recent international competitions, Denmark, a veteran side where Manchester United’s Cristian Eriksen and now 37 year old Kasper Schmeichel still feature, Eriksen remaining an inspiration as he continues to play international football after suffering a heart attack on the pitch some years ago. Denmark are rarely a bad bet in international tournaments but this does feel like a squad that is past its prime, I’m not sure Slovenia the team are the team to take advantage of that though, so a draw looks to be in the cards. Predictions: 1-1 Draw
Luka: Slovenia vs Denmark on Sunday is the opening match in Group C, with the two teams feeling that this could be a great chance to get some points on the board early on before facing favourites England and many people’s tournament dark horses in Serbia. The main talking point of the game will no doubt be the young strikers on each team – Benjamin Sesko for Slovenia and Rasmus Hojlund for Denmark – so don’t be surprised to see goals. With the two sides looking to make a statement to the rest of their group, this could be an interesting affair. Prediction: 2-2 Draw
Ben: Over in Group C, everyone feels they’ve got a decent chance of reaching the round of 16, but Denmark kick off in Stuttgart as slight favourites to prevail.
De Rød-Hvide reached the semi-finals at Euro 2020, their best-showing since winning the whole thing in 1992, although their failure to win a single match at the last World Cup has certainly dampened expectations. Nevertheless, Kasper Hjulmand’s should still have enough to get out of this group, enjoying morale-boosting friendly wins over Nordic neighbours Sweden and Norway earlier this month.
These two teams were actually in the same qualifying section, ending up level on points, drawing 1-1 in Ljubljana before the Danes prevailed 2-1 in Parken back in November. So, will it be third time lucky for Slovenia, who are participating at a first Euros since 2000, while it’s their first major tournament of any kind since the 2010 World Cup, for which Matjaž Kek, who’s back as manager again, was in charge for too?
This team are unbeaten in five, most-notably defeating Portugal in March, and have an outstanding goalkeeper Jan Oblak and a potentially world-class striker Benjamin Šeško, so should not be underestimated. Having said that, we’re are backing Denmark to claim a narrow win at Neckarstadion. Prediction: Denmark 2 Slovenia 1
Serbia vs England (Sunday in Gelsenkirchen)
Steen: Gareth Southgate takes a talented England side studded with Premier League players, plus Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane into Germany to take on Serbia in their first match. Southgate and his team are under immense pressure, on paper this is the richest squad of Euro 2024, but at times England has struggled to generate scoring chances and play freely and with chemistry under Southgate in recent matches, including a defeat to Iceland a week ago. Plucky Serbia will be upset minded here, a 2-3-1 record since November of last year isn’t the best resume headed into this tournament though. Fenerbahce’s main man Dusan Tadic, at age 35, is leading Serbia and this is a squad with a number of veteran players. England’s backline isn’t reliable enough to not concede, so the question comes as to whether in a competitive tournament match can this England attack unlock itself and who will step it, be it Bellingham, Phil Foden or someone else. Many of England’s last World Cup and Euros team was left at home, and it’s time for some new names to emerge. I’m personally not sold on England’s success at this stage, the talent is there, but the results under Southgate are lacking, and a dour draw appears in the cards. Prediction: 1-1 Draw
Luka: Sunday ends with England facing Serbia in Gelsenkirchen. John Stones has reportedly recovered from his illness which kept him out of training yesterday, relief for Three Lions fans who will hope their leader at the back can start this weekend. With Mitrovic and Vlahovic up top for Serbia, England will need to have their wits about them and as much as my Serbian roots are making me want to predict an upset, I do think the Three Lions just about get it done. Prediction: England 2 Serbia 1
Ben: Sunday night’s headliner sees England commence their quest for glory in Gelsenkirchen, favourites to claim three points.
The Three Lions have lost only one of their last 13 major tournament group phase games, this a dead-rubber against Belgium, while it’s 20 years since their most-recent loss in a Euros group fixture, defeated by a Zinedine Zidane-inspired France in Lisbon. Gareth Southgate’s team are not in great shape, beaten by Iceland in their most-recent friendly, and are without some key figures, but still boast plenty of attacking firepower, so an England victory is the most-likely outcome here.
Serbia meanwhile are debuting at the Euros as an independent nation, led by Yugoslav legend Dragan Stojković, hopeful of springing a surprise, despite only winning four of their last 11. With Aleksandar Mitrović and Dušan Vlahović spearheading the Eagles’ attack, we certainly expect Serbia to score at Arena AufSchalke, but we also can’t see their back-line withstanding England’s array of world-class attacking players. Prediction: England 2 Serbia 1
Main Photo CREDIT: IMAGO / Sportsphoto
